This invention relates to the field of medical devices, and more particularly to a traction device.
Humans have long dealt with the pain, aggravation and loss of productivity arising from spinal injuries, particularly those to the low back. Most people at some point in their lives will be incapacitated by lower back pain which has become the second leading cause of pain next to headaches. The relative ease with which injuries to the spine and supporting musculature are incurred, as well as the debilitating effects of even slight injuries, merely adds to the overall severity of the problem of dealing with spinal injuries. The forms of treatment vary over the length of time that the patient experiences pain. Eighty percent of low back pain suffers will heal over six weeks with minimal intervention. However, the remaining twenty percent of sufferers create the greatest challenges and cost to the medical system. After the acute phase, surgical intervention or more invasive forms of treatment may be selected. Minimal or non-invasive treatment methods are however preferred by patients before electing to surgical methods.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an ambulatory traction device includes two support belts configured to be positioned around a portion of a user""s body and one or more lifting mechanisms. Each lifting mechanism is coupled between the support belts and operable to apply a decompressive force to the portion of the user""s body when the support belts are positioned around the user""s body.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an ambulatory spinal treatment device includes two support belts configured to be positioned around a user""s body and one or more lifting mechanisms. The one or more lifting mechanisms is operable in combination to apply a force to the spine of the user""s body when the support belts are positioned around the user""s body that restricts motion of the spine in a desired direction. Each lifting mechanism is coupled between the support belts.
Particular embodiments of the present invention provide one or more technical advantages. For example, certain embodiments provide a traction device that may be worn by a user to reduce the compressive forces on the user""s spine by transferring the user""s upper body weight off of the spine to the user""s hips. In particular, the decompressive forces generated by the device may be concentrated on the lower spine of the user, an area that may be commonly injured due to compressive forces. The traction device may also provide stabilization of the torso to prevent additional compressive forces in the spine due to bending and lifting by the user. Moreover, traction devices of the present invention may be used in association with other joints of the body, such as the knee or neck. Furthermore, particular embodiments provide a traction device that is ambulatory, meaning that the device is portable and wearable during the user""s daily activities. This ambulatory nature of the device provides more convenience to the user and causes less impact on the user""s daily activities than previous treatment techniques.
In another embodiment, curvature of the spine may be treated in an ambulatory nature. This reduces the potential need for costly and painful surgery that may otherwise be required. Other technical advantages may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following figures, description and claims.